Reflection on Revelation 1 | 沉思啟示錄1

Author：Karen   Narrator：Liying

If you are being asked to share one verse from Bible, which one you are going to pick? I know exactly which one I am going to choose: John 3:16.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

We probably are quite familiar with this one verse. So when I read Revelation 1 and find a similar verse, I am a little shocked by the fact that I did not find it earlier. Revelation 1:5b to 6

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father, to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

The first chapter of Revelation is talking about Jesus who loves us so much, freed us(past tense) from our sins by his blood,  transforms our lives to serve as priests to God the Father. This is gospel. We can use Revelation to share gospel to unbelievers. This is the first time I realize this. I knew that the whole Bible and every single book in Bible can be used to share gospel. I'm convinced now.

When we share gospel with others, we must tell them that the purpose God saves us is to serve Him. God gives us an amazing privilege to speak on His behalf and represent Him to others. We communicate the gospel to those who have not yet receive God's salvation. We extend God's mercy and compassion to people in need. We teach othets what God has taught us. We represent people before God as we intercede in prayer. Those things are our duties as His priests. Please check our daily duties or chores to see if they match our calling as priests.

God calls us to serve Him, to be His priests. He equips and encourages us as His representatives through His Word. We need to read the Word and rely on Him daily. This is the only possible way to do our service.

 

如果有人要你分享聖經中的一節經文，你會選哪一節呢？我明確知道自己會選這一節：約翰3：16

“神愛世人，甚至將他的獨生子賜給他們，叫一切信祂的，不至滅亡，反得永生。”

我們大家對這節經文可能都很熟悉，所以，當我這次在啟示錄第一章讀到類似經文時，我多少有些驚訝自己竟然以前讀時沒注意到這節：啟示錄1：5b，6

“祂愛我們，用自己的血使我們脫離罪惡，又使我們成為國民，作祂父神的祭司。但願榮耀，權能歸給祂，直到永永遠遠。阿門！”

啟示錄的第一章就講耶穌如此愛我們，用祂的寶血把我們從罪中釋放出來，讓我們生命改變成為父神的祭司。這是福音。我第一次意識到，我可以用啟示錄來跟不信主的人傳福音，不僅整本聖經，聖經中的每一卷書都可以用來傳福音，我確信無疑了。

當我們跟別人分享福音時，一定要告訴他們，神救贖我們的目地是要我們服侍祂。神給了我們特權代表祂，在別人麵傳講祂的話，把福音傳給還沒得救的人，把神的憐憫和慈愛帶給有需要的人，把神教導給我們的教導別人。我們也替別人在神麵前代求。這些是我們作祭司的責任，讓我們都檢查一下自己每天做的事，是不是符合我們當祭司的呼召。

神呼召我們服侍祂，作祂的祭司。祂也裝備我們，賜我們能力代表祂，傳講祂的話。我們每天需要讀祂的話，依靠著祂，這樣才有可能服侍祂。